Remnants of a Shattered Heart
by Jonathan Priest
Summary: After Kite and BlackRose defeat the sixth phase, Mia is gone, and Elk is left with his own misery, until a mysterious voice offers him a deal. Elks POV, filled with glorious angst. (Completed) Please R
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: .Hack isn't mine. I just write the stories  
  
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Remnants of a Shattered Heart  
  
As quickly as it had begun, it ended, and in the middle was the haunting scream of agony that connected the two points of life. But now it was simply over, the end having vanished in the haze of history, leaving only the recurring echo of that horrific scream to haunt him until it threatened to drive him mad.  
  
He could hear her scream; and so he ran. Running, in some hopeless attempt to distance himself from the screams that built in intensity the moment they began to die away. And though he was beaten, exhausted beyond his endurance, he pushed himself forward; or else confront the scream threatening to overtake him.  
  
It was more than he could handle. His shattered heart bled in such overwhelming misery that it filled his lungs and constricted his throat with the unrelenting threat of drowning him in his own despair. Exhausted and broken, his hurried steps became unsure and his feet stumbled over the uneven ground, causing him to pitch forward and land painfully on his knees.  
  
Sobs of such grief shook his whole body, preventing him from breathing until he began to cough through the howl and anguish that tore at his very soul. He pitched forward; catching himself with his hands and retching violently, wanting only to purge the empty pit that had taken residence where his heart had once been. But no release from the pain came, and he hated the fact, for the first time since he began, that this was only a game.  
  
The real world, his real life, was a case study of tragic neglect. His parents were important, and never really had time for him or a family. And so, an only child was left to fend for himself more than should have ever been permitted by any statute of law, as his parents would leave on business trips or vacations and abandon him to his own fate. That was when he joined The World, hoping to find a connection, a place he may belong. But his awkwardness in the real world didn't help him overcome his shyness in the virtual paradise. Until he met her.  
  
The edited cat figure was adventurous, spunky, but deeply caring, and was the only friend he ever had. It didn't matter if, in the end, she wasn't real but a testimony of the vast intelligence of The World. It didn't matter if she was a computer program, to him she was real. SHE WAS REAL! And HE killed her, destroying the only precious thing he ever had in his miserable life, leaving him with nothing but the pity of his own grief.  
  
And when the tears finally slowed enough for him to fill his lungs, he let loose a scream that threatened to tear his voice apart. Anger, sorrow, grief and fear swam within his body, each taking turns to control his emotions. Slamming the head of his staff into virtual ground, bitter that it hadn't broken, broken like he was, he beat the staff against the ground repeatedly until his breath came to his scorched lungs in great heaps and gulps.  
  
But he soon lost interest in the staff and threw it aside. It was a gift from Kite, and he wanted nothing from the Twin Blade, for he had taken everything from him. He resorted now to beating his fists again the ground again and again until the virtual blood from his knuckles began to color the soil a deep crimson, imaging every blow was smashing against the face of the Twin Blade. He hoped this would take his mind away from the pain in his heart, but all it added was pain to his body. And so, too exhausted to swing his arms anymore, leaned back on his legs, kneeling in the open plain and let the pain of his heart pour out through his eyes.  
  
"WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE HER?" He screamed into the open air, hoping that, if in fact there was a God, he would give some comfort, some reason for his grief. But no answer came to him, and he threw himself forward once again, burying his face in his folded arms and cried.  
  
Exhausted but afraid to sleep for fear of what his dreams may bring, he denied sleep, and denied his dreams. What good were dreams anyway, all his dreams had died with Mia. He was as he always had been, alone.  
  
"Elk..." The soft voice came from nowhere and everywhere, drifting on the currents of the virtual wind. At first the mourning Wavemaster hadn't heard if, but when the voice called out to him a second time, he raised face, his red and swollen eyes searching for the source.  
  
"Elk, it's all right to be sad, but you are not alone."  
  
Eyes frantically searching the plain for signs of the speaker, Elk pushed himself up from the ground, a faint glimmer of hope creeping into his gray orbs. "M...Mia?"  
  
"No Elk, Mia is gone." The voice said again, and the Wavemaster crumpled against the ground, his body shaking in bitter sobs that renewed their assault on his spirit. What cruel world would give him hope, only to take it away again?  
  
"You truly loved her, didn't you Elk?" The voice taunted, inviting only more tears. "You should know she wasn't real. Merely a phase to gather information for me, nothing more."  
  
"Y...you LIAR!" Elk choked the words out as he stared at the crystal blue sky, not sure where else to look to address the mysterious voice. "She was too alive. She...she enjoyed The World, and...and had fun exploring dungeons. Don't talk about her like she didn't exist!"  
  
"I never said she didn't exist, merely never lived. The distinction between the two is quite clearly defined." The voice again spoke; it's soothing tone easing the pain that ate away at the center of Elk's soul.  
  
"By now Elk, you know that Mia is not a living being, but a program within The World." The voice said again, the transformation of space and shimmering air just above Elk's head giving way to the form of a new character to the field. A cat figure, unlike Mia but somehow similar, with oddly assorted clothing and a sprig of grass clutched within it's hand. But whether it was alive or not was difficult to say.  
  
"This is Maha, the base programming avatar for the character you know as Mia. Currently, Maha sleeps. But I have the power to awaken Maha, and in doing so, bring Mia back." The voice said. Elk's eyes grew wide in disbelief as he heard the information, but hardly daring to believe it.  
  
"Then, if you can bring Mia back, please...I beg you, bring her back!"  
  
The voice paused, allowing the silence to stretch, and with it the desperation in Elk's heart. "It's not that easy Elk. I will need something from you in return."  
  
"Anything...I'll do whatever you want, please...just bring her back." Elk lowered his head so that his hair brushed the ground.  
  
"The hacker Helba, you know of her don't you?"  
  
"Uh...yes." Elk said, raising his head to stare confused at the sky.  
  
"She has...shall we say, crafted a computer virus that she wishes to infect The World with. If she does this, I will be inoperable, and unable to achieve my promise to you. All that I ask is that your retrieve the virus, bring it to me, and I will bring Mia back for you."  
  
Elk stared at the catlike figure floated in the air for several moments. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of betraying his friends, but truthfully, they weren't really his friends. They only used him to use Mia's power. With her gone, he was no use to any of them. But he could bring Mia back, not for them but for himself. For once he could prove he was important to at least someone.  
  
"You promise you'll bring Mia back?"  
  
"I have given you my word Elk, and Morgana does not break her word to those she holds in esteem."  
  
"O...okay, I'll do it. I'll bring it back to you."  
  
"Very good Elk, I shall await your return."  
  
Staring once again at the floating figure of the cat-character Maha before him, Elk wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and gated out of the field.  
  
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Author's Note: Depending on feedback, I may write the second chapter. Please R&R. Thanks much. And to Goldberry, thanks so much for all your great reviews. I'm sorry this isn't another KitexBlackRose fic, I'm having some trouble thinking of a new story for those two. If you have any ideas, please let me know, I love writing those two...their romance is just so perfect. 


	2. Remnants of a Shattered Heart, Ch 2: Ec...

Disclaimer: You know the drill; I don't own .Hack, just like writing the fiction.  
  
Additional note: Brackets- [ ] indicates internal monologue. I'm no good at html code so they should be italics but...that's the best I could do.  
  
Remnants of a Shattered Heart  
Chapter II - Echoes  
  
Alone, cold and scared, the shapeless form of the shivering Wavemaster sat in perfect silence, knees pressed against his chest, his eyes staring into the empty nothingness of The World around him. The game wasn't fun any longer, not since Mia...  
  
He shivered again at the thought of his lost companion, trying unsuccessfully to contain the heavy sobs that tore through his body. There was no where he could go, no one to turn to, just like the real world, his very existence had become something of an unwanted alienation.  
  
[So why are you beating yourself up over it?] The voice within his head chimed, taunting him yet speaking what he knew was true. [Why? Because it's your fault, that's why you blame yourself. You're unwanted, no one cares for you and no one wants you around either.]  
  
"Th...that's not true." Elk whispered into the echoing darkness. "Mia cared about me."  
  
[And where's Mia now? Face it; you as good as killed her. You're cursed, a jinx, a burden and unwanted thing to everyone who meets you. Why would anyone care for some pathetic throwback like you?]  
  
"Shut up." Elk said again, this time so softly that his words were not even audible to his own ears, tears he fought to contain were now pouring from his eyes.  
  
[Oh, shut up you say? It's true isn't it? You only joined The World because you wanted to feel you belonged somewhere, to give some meaning to your useless life. So here you are, in the bottom of a dungeon, crying about a virtual cat girl who isn't alive and only seemed content to use you. Look around you, you don't belong anywhere.]  
  
"Please just shut up." Elk pleaded, yet the thoughts inside his head continued to berate him.  
  
[Sure, maybe she did use you. Maybe Kite and BlackRose and all the others used you too, but you felt like you belonged. You thought you had friends...]  
  
"Please..."  
  
[So how did you repay them Elk? By betraying them, all of them. You should hate yourself more than anyone could ever hate you. And that's what your afraid to face isn't it? The fact that all of it, every miserable detail in your pathetic life is your fault. You're unwanted. Because who could ever love you?]  
  
Elk didn't answer; he could no longer find the strength to speak. He simply buried his face into the folds of his sleeves and howled into the uncaring darkness. He hated it, life, The World, the smothering loneliness he faced everyday of his life. He hated it all, but deep down what he hated more than anything was who he was. Perhaps if he was someone else, anyone else, then he could be loved. But he was a no body, and he hated knowing that every echoing thought from within his mind, all the taunting he mentally voiced over the last hour was true. And the tears, no longer restricted by his crumbling will, fell freely from his eyes and threatened to drown him in his grief.  
  
--Two hours prior--  
  
Delta-Plenteous Smiling Hypha-  
  
Elk stood alone, waiting for the Twin Blade Kite to come to his summons. He thought it was arrogant of himself to think Kite would immediately rush to him just because he Flash Mailed him, but he knew Kite well enough to know he'd desperately want to justify his actions to the timid Wavemaster. This was how Elk perceived it at any rate.  
  
He chose this particular field because this is where he had come with Mia so many times before. It was their favorite field before it got infected and was ultimately ruined. By some standard, Elk could still feel Mia's presence here, and that gave him a degree of hope that he was doing the right thing.  
  
The chime of musical tones and spiral of golden circles announced Kite had finally arrived at the field, but Elk would not turn to face him. "Elk..." Kite said, staring at the back of the Wavemaster who had not yet acknowledged the Twin Blade's arrival. For his own part, Elk bowed his head and refused to look at Kite, afraid his intentions may be discovered. Absentmindedly fumbling with the tarot card in his pocket, the Wavemaster took a deep breath. He needed to know the one question that was burning inside him. The one question he must know the answer to before doing what he felt he must.  
  
"How could you?" Elk asked quietly, his voice shaking slightly as he tried to contain the bitter sorrow within his heart that seemed to eat at him from within. "How could you betray her like that?"  
  
Kite stood silently, shifting the weight of his body from one foot to the other in a nervous sort of dance as he attempted, without success, to answer the question. It wasn't the question he expected, he thought, hoped really that Elk would simply ask 'Why?' that would have been easier to answer. Yet deep down, Kite and Elk both new why. It was necessary, as hard as it was accept, it had to be done. But as easy as it was to understand, that didn't make the fact any easier to acknowledge.  
  
Kite had not initially thought of it as betrayal, not in those words exactly. He did what had to be done, but destroying Mia was simply the hardest task he had to undertake while cursed with the bracelet and the damning weight of trying to save The World and the coma victims. But as he thought more about it, perhaps this was a test of The World. Perhaps Mia was planted into his party intentionally by the very construct he was battling against, a means by which to test his resolve, to destroy a member of his party and a friend and shake the foundation of his own faith that he was doing the right thing. Placed in those words, Kite wasn't so sure about his commitment any longer. How much more could he endure if The World thought to challenge him again? What if The World chose to claim BlackRose?  
  
"Answer me!" Elk pleaded, turning around to face Kite at last and snapping the Twin Blade from his tortured thoughts. "Tell me why?"  
  
But Kite stood silent, staring at Elk as if he didn't recognize him, his own guilt threatening to overwhelm him. He couldn't seem to find the words to tell Elk he hadn't betrayed Mia, they battled Macha to save the coma patients. But despite that, Kite couldn't bring himself to justify sacrificing one life, even if that life existed only within The World, to save so many others. Was he truly right in what he did, or was he simply vain enough to think he might make a difference? Yet as Kite's mind was preoccupied with all that had happened, he failed to see Elk pull the tarot card from his pocket.  
  
"Maybe I shouldn't have asked." Elk said silently, looking at Kite in his shy, pained eyes. "I think I'll have to find that answer for myself. I'm sorry." And with that, Elk raised the spell card The Moon in his left hand, casting slumber over the Twin Blade. Unprepared for the situation, Kite made no effort to block the spell until it was too late. Exhaustion beyond anything he ever knew possessed him as he dropped heavily to his knees and fell forward, unconscious.  
  
"I...I'm sorry." Elk said to the sleeping Twin Blade, aghast at what he had done. "I hope you'll forgive me, but...I have to bring Mia back." It was the only hope within his sorrow that gave him strength enough to endure the uncertain fear. Blind faith, after all, was more comforting than unchallenged despair.  
  
With as much haste as his nervous hands would comply, the terrified Wavemaster searched the item pouch and key items of Kite before finding a small square algorithmic disk the size of a computer chip. He was sure this was the virus the enigmatic Morganna had wanted him to bring to her. With this, he was closer to reviving Mia.  
  
Stowing it away in his key items, Elk stood up and saw that Kite was beginning to stir. Not wanting to be there when he awoke, Elk gated out of the field and found himself in Mac Anu, the Root Town for Delta Server. He paid no attention to the inhabitants or the shops that peppered the virtual city, but hurriedly teleported himself to Omega Server and then entered the preset Key Words into the Chaos Gate, sending his virtual self to the field where Morganna awaited him.  
  
"Uh...hello?" Elk asked, looking around the field for signs of the unseen Morganna, hoping she was still within this server. Walking a bit further from the location where he had gated into the field, Elk began to feel the pressure and anxiety squeeze his heart as he began to fear she might have deserted this field already.  
  
"Please...I did what you asked me to do." Elk called again into the empty air. "If you're here, please let me know where I can find you to give you this."  
  
"Elk..." The familiar voice called out to him, "I am everywhere, you needn't worry yourself."  
  
"Um...okay." Elk said again, looking at the sky. "I...I brought the virus you asked me to bring you. The virus for Mia being revived, right?"  
  
"To business then..." Morganna stated, sounding delightedly pleased as her voice rolled through the empty air, coming from all directions. "Elk, place the virus on the ground in front of your feet, I must verify its legitimacy. I do hope you'll understand."  
  
Elk didn't hesitate to take the virus from his key items and lay it where instructed. His only thoughts were that he would soon be back with Mia.  
  
"Quite clever, I expected nothing less from Helba. The virus is nothing more than a basic worm program with a few added features. Quite cleaver to use a simple, uncomplicated virus, I would have over-extended my own protective field. Bur with the algorithm now, I should be able to construct a proper anti-virus. I thank you Elk, your services have been most appreciative."  
  
"Now...you'll bring back Mia?" Elk asked shyly, yet unable to hide the smile that crept to his face at the thought of seeing his beloved friend again.  
  
The answer did not come immediately from the bodiless voice; it was silent as if still studying the virus code. "I can see no reason Elk, why I should bring her back."  
  
It was as if Elk had been plunged into and icy lake, fear and despair had again seized his body and he struggled to take several gasping breaths, trying hopelessly to gather enough air in his lungs to plead for his friend again. "But...you promised. You said if I brought you the virus, you'd bring Mia back. You promised..."  
  
"Indeed I did, but I also said Morganna does not break her promise to those she holds in esteem. In all The World, I have not found any as of yet whom I should hold in esteem, least of all you." Her sharp words cut Elk as deeply as if she had thrust a blade into him. "You humans are all so pathetically predictable. Did you believe that I would have any use for Maha now that she has served her purpose? For what I have no use for, I have no need for. Maha has served her purpose, as have you. I have no use for either of you." And with that, the voice was gone, and with it, all hope of bringing Mia back.  
  
Elk collapsed again to his knees, weeping bitterly at his own foolish betrayal. He was blinded by hope, by his blinding desperation to bring Mia back. But his own foolishness, his own desperate hope cost him everything, Mia, and the trust of his companions. He was left alone with nothing but the shattered pieces of his heart and a broken promise of a dream.  
  
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Author's note: Thanks so much for all the great reviews everyone sent me. As you can tell, I've left another cliffhanger on this chapter. But if you've beaten the game, you know what happens. Still, its kind of fun to write all the brooding angst of Elk. And most of the chapter is flashback, not sure if I made it clear enough or not but hope everyone likes it. Please R&R. Thanks much to everyone again. 


	3. Chapter 3: For Mia

Disclaimer: .Hack is the property of Ban Dai entertainment. I don't own it, so don't think to sue me...  
  
Oh yeah...I'm borrowing a character from .HackSign in this chapter also. So don't freak if you don't recognize this person...I didn't invent them either.  
  
Remnants of a Shattered Heart Chapter 3: For Mia  
  
"Hah!" The pink and fluffy Twin Blade echoed as she successfully dodged the Tetra Armor's violent blow that cracked the digital stone floor of the virtual dungeon. She wasn't exceptionally good at fighting; in fact her level had not gone up much since she started the game some several months ago. But her speed and agility as a Twin Blade class made her very adept at running away. That she was very good at.  
  
Making her way to the wooden door at the end of the hallway, she exited the room and closed the heavy gate behind her as the mace fist of the Tetra Armor tore away chunks of the computer-generated door. "You can't come in!" She screamed before abandoning her attempt to hold the door closed against the much larger monster and running for the stairs that would lead to the level below.  
  
Arriving on the next level, she cast a Fairy Orb and realized this was the last level of the dungeon. Having some time to spare, as there weren't any monsters in the entrance, she took a few moments to plot her course and heal her dismal hit points back to full health. She was really quite peeved, as two of her classmates were supposed to come along with her on this adventure, but decided to bail at the last minute. Regardless, she just had to make a mental note to kick the both of them when she got to school tomorrow.  
  
Staring at the visual map in her viewer settings, the Twin Blade made her way into the next several rooms, hugging the wall and successfully avoided tripping any of the magic portals. She had become quite good at sneaking as well. She often wondered, at times like this, what the fun of the game was anyway. Why did people play so much, other than to waste their time? Of course, she couldn't even figure out why she played, or why she hadn't stopped as of yet, only that she knew there must be something fun about this game for everyone to waste all that time. So that was her answer then, she kept playing to find out what reason she had to keep playing.  
  
Turning the corner, she came to the last room, the room holding the large treasure chest and the ominous statue that towered over it. She had heard there were Golden Grunties in this dungeon, but hadn't found any yet. Gathering quite a collection of the rare statues, the Twin Blade often wondered what their use was...other than being really ugly. She stopped, however, just short of opening the chest, as she heard the muffled sobs of someone coming from behind the large urn. Curiosity getting the better of her, she walked around the man-sized vase to peer at the player hiding behind it.  
  
He, at least she thought the gray and blue lump huddled in the corner was a he, appeared to be a Wavemaster. His knees were folded against his chest and his face was buried in his arms as his whole body shook from the sobs that rang out of his body. He hadn't even noticed she was standing there, and didn't seem to care even if he did know.  
  
"Hi," the fluffy Twin Blade said as the Wavemaster's head rose suddenly to look at the pink striped person standing before him, his eyes red and swollen from the tears. 'Yep,' The Twin Blade thought, 'It was a guy.' "So, what's wrong?" She asked, propping her hands against his shoulders and leaning heavily on him, craning her head at all angles to look over the weeping Wavemaster. "Are you hurt? Have you been injured? Did your friends abandon you too? When that happens you just have to kick them you know...that's what I'm going to do tomorrow when I see them." She said, standing up and thrusting her leg at the open air as if to emphasize her point. "Are you lost? Ticked off? Want to be alone? Want to be with people? What's wrong?"  
  
He stared at the Twin Blade, seemingly lost in her conversation as the whole interrogation took less than a few seconds. He wasn't really sure what to say, or even if he had the energy or desire to talk to her. Taking his silence as cue to keep talking, the interrogator plopped herself on the floor opposite him and seemed to tilt her head from one side to the other to get a good look at him. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place from where. Nevertheless, she continued to talk to the silent Wavemaster.  
  
"Oh, I haven't told you my name have I? I'm A-20. The twentieth person in my class to join the world so all the other names were taken. Stupid A-6 and A-14 were supposed to join me here but they chickened out. I'm going to kick them tomorrow...a good hard kick." A-20 said, looking at him as she rocked back and forth on the stone floor. "Well, I've told you my problem...so it's your turn, what's wrong?"  
  
The Wavemaster just stared at the babbling Twin Blade, not really willing to tell her his problems, why he felt so empty inside. He wanted to be alone, but he was always alone, and that condition never gave him any comfort. It was just how he spent his life, alone and unloved.  
  
"Well...maybe you're not feeling well. You sick?" She asked, leaning a little closer to look at him again. "So, what's your name?"  
  
"Uh...Elk." The Wavemaster said, fixing his eyes to the ground.  
  
"Hmm...I thought you looked familiar Elk but I don't remember your name. Not even sure if I know who you remind me of...maybe I saw you in a root town or saw who you remind me of in a root town and thought you were the other person." A-20 counted off, trying to figure who it was he reminded her of. Finally giving up, she looked back at Elk.  
  
"I'm not surprised...no one knows me." He said miserably, his voice quivering as a new wave of despair threatened to drown him again. Only Mia truly knew him, but she was gone.  
  
"Well that's not true, I know you...at least now that you introduced yourself. So next time I see you...or maybe that guy who reminds me of you, I can think...hey, there's Elk, instead of saying, 'hey, there's that guy.' See how introductions are useful?" She said, smiling at Elk. "No one would know who anyone was if they didn't introduce themselves. So...are you sick then? Why were you crying?"  
  
Elk paused a moment and breathed heavily as he remembered his betrayal of Kite, the betrayal Morganna did to him, and the horrible cycle of pain that swelled within him since Mia's apparent deletion. It was more than he could sustain. "I...I did something terrible, and made a horrible mistake. And I don't know what to do."  
  
"Well that's easy." A-20 chimed, no longer rocking back and forth but having stood up she took to bouncing up and down. Whether she did this because she was bored or because she saw other Twin Blades do this she wasn't even sure, but it was somewhat enjoyable. "My teacher tells us that nothing is really a mistake as long as you do something to make it better. So if you made a mistake, just do something to fix it, then it's not a mistake anymore."  
  
Elk stared at the babbling A-20. She reminded him of Natsume in some way, but wasn't sure how that was relevant now. He didn't see how just doing one thing could undo all the damage he'd already done. "I...I don't think I can. I've messed up really badly."  
  
"Well...what did you do that was so bad?" A-20 asked, leaning down to look closer at the suffering Wavemaster. When he closed his eyes and shook his head, she realized he didn't want to tell her and took this as another opportunity to further explain. "Well, did you mean for it to happen?"  
  
"I'm not sure..." Elk said, looking once more at the ground and refusing to focus on the bouncing Twin Blade. "When I did it, I suppose I meant something to happen, but everything went really wrong and I wasn't expecting that."  
  
"Well, if you did something that came out the way you didn't intend, then that's a mistake too isn't it?" A-20 said again. "So, just find out what you can do to fix it so you don't have to see it as a mistake any more. Everyone's allowed to make mistakes, but to leave them like that isn't good either. At least that's what my teacher says. I'm tempted to challenge that logic some times."  
  
"That sounds...awfully simple." Elk said, looking at A-20 as he digested the words she told him. "Is it really that easy?"  
  
"It has to be easier than doing nothing." A-20 piped in. "Your not helping the mistake if you don't do anything to fix it are you?"  
  
"But..."  
  
"If you're just going to sit there, then you'll just keep feeling bad won't you? Why not do something to make everything better?" A-20 said, bouncing up and down once more before looking suddenly to her right, a frightened look painting her face. "Uh oh, I forgot about my school assignment and mom found out. I gotta go. Next time I'll give you my Member address so we can talk more. Bye bye." And before Elk could say anything to the rather hyper Twin Blade, she gated out of the field.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Elk stared around the dungeon. It took him a moment of silent contemplation to realize that A-20 was right. He had messed things up badly, but not doing anything to fix them would make them worse. Morganna lied to him, betrayed him just as he betrayed his friends. He knew he couldn't ask for their forgiveness, not until he helped stop the Wave that was coming...that was his only penance. He would do it, for Mia.  
  
Elk gated himself out of the dungeon and field, returning instantly to Net Slum. Frightfully turning his head from side to side, Elk made sure no one was around before lunging toward the Recorder's shop and hiding behind the nicely stacked grouping of barrels. He found it strange that there were no players present in the makeshift root town; even the NPCs were missing from their shops.  
  
But Elk had no time to contemplate the missing players as Lios, Helba and Wiseman all gated into the field, followed closely by Balmung. Elk wanted desperately to walk up to them, to beg forgiveness for his betrayal, but now wasn't the time. Considering what he had done, they may very well gate him from the field thinking he might again betray them. He'd rather stay hidden, until he knew he saw his chance to do something.  
  
However, as Elk thought about his own uncertain course, he did not notice that Helba was not among the party members, until her voice came from behind the hiding Wavemaster.  
  
"Lose something Elk." Came Helba's silky words, as the young player turned to face the mysterious hacker.  
  
"Uh...no...I just..." Elk stumbled with his words, but a gentle, reassuring smile from the often-distant Helba eased any of his fears.  
  
"You needn't worry Elk, I won't tell them you are here." She replied, looking where the others had assembled by the Chaos Gate. "I had to do a last minute system check to determine that my server was running at optimum efficiency before we confronted the Wave, that's when I saw you. In truth, I'm glad that you had come...I was worried for a moment that we had lost you."  
  
"Y...you were worried...about me?" Elk said, unwilling to believe that anyone cared for him...worried about him. It seemed too much to hope for.  
  
"Not myself so much as all of your other companions. Particularly Kite and BlackRose have been most concerned." Helba said, returning her gaze to Elk, an unreadable expression akin to amusement playing across her face. "In truth, your betrayal has made things most interesting. All my virus would have done would be to slow the Wave down, and allow us a bit more time. Indeed, events have become most interesting. But speaking of Kite and BlackRose, they are late." Another smile tugged at the corner of the hacker's lips, a knowing tone in her voice. "I suppose they are...preparing for the final battle in their own way. Ah...here they are now." Helba said, addressing the entrance of the two final members they waited for.  
  
"Elk, I will be locking this field down once the Wave arrives. If you wish to leave, now is the time."  
  
"N...no. I have to do something...I've done so much already that I have to fix it. So I'll stay."  
  
"As you wish. This will not be easy, especially without Kite's bracelet, but all we can do is try." Helba responded, floating back to the party. Elk watched silently from the corner, wondering what was to come or even if he would be any help. But the war was coming to an end, and he had to do what he could to help. "For Mia."  
  
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Authors note: I know I ended this a bit suddenly. The last chapter will be coming as soon as I get some time. Thanks to everyone for their great support and comments. 


	4. Chapter 4: Eternity is Waiting

Disclaimer: No need to say it, I don't own .Hack. Wish I did, but I don't.  
  
Remnants of a Shattered Heart,  
Chapter 4: Eternity is Waiting  
  
War is a monster. A great, feral beast that devours lives and destroys order. It is a creature that seeks to expound the chaos of its own soul and ruin as many lives as it could. Those among the gathered combatants were a testimony to that loss, and though they fought, and though they were losing, the strength of their own desperation pushed them forward, abandoning the safety of cowardice and choosing to fight this losing conflict. It was their redemption.  
  
Kite and Balmung of the Azure Sky held a common bond, that of their close friend Orca who fell into a coma along with so many others. The Wavemaster Elk, as he crouched behind the Elf's Haven in Net Slum however, lost something even more precious...for Mia was not a player who, when killed in battle could restart their terminal, she was a part of the system itself. And now that she had died, she was erased from the base system. That fact even now sent waves of despair over the despondent mage.  
  
And he watched the battle, watched as Kite, BlackRose and Balmung battled the intangible form before them, while Wiseman and Helba healed the party when needed. Lios, the system administrator seemed to be working his technical magic among the field, attempting to control the spread of the Wave until it's defeat. He had his own grudge, as many of his subordinates were lost among the Wave as well. It was a last attack, and if it failed, there would be nothing that could be done to prevent it from pouring out into other servers. For the Wave was no longer content with its own little corner of the World Wide Web. It wanted the world.  
  
But Elk didn't care for the dramatics of the confrontation. He felt heavy in his heart, and wondered still why he was here. Defeating the Wave would not bring Mia back; she was dead. One could say deleted, but that would give further argument to the fact that she wasn't alive. He did not...could not believe that. She was more alive than anyone he had ever met...and he knew whatever minimal role he could play in this final battle would do nothing to ease the gaping hole that took the place of his shattered heart, but it would be his form of revenge.  
  
Morganna had promised him that she would bring back Mia if he betrayed his friends. He kept his promise, but she didn't keep hers, and so the Wavemaster was lost, friendless and without Mia. He had no doubt, whatever he attempted to do; he would not win back that trust. But in truth, this wasn't for them, this wasn't even for himself...this was for Mia, who had given him so much.  
  
Peering around the barrels that barred his view of the battle, Elk noticed it was not going well. It seemed they could inflict no damage on the physical form the viral Morganna had taken. All their attacks did nothing beyond the great shield cast by the shapeless monster they fought. It was a losing battle, and Elk thought desperately to lend his support now, but his sudden appearance may distract the party as they fought against the compressing fear of losing. So he could do nothing but watch...and wait.  
  
But the sudden flash in the sky tore Elk's attention from the battle raging mere feet from him, as a cadre of players appeared. Ten...maybe twenty luminescent figures appeared in the sky, and Elk was sure they were saying something, though he couldn't hear. Before he knew what was going on, each of the figures in turn began to dive at the monster Kite, BlackRose and Balmung were battling, then, they all dove toward the creature, cracking the armor and splitting it's defenses apart.  
  
Elk screamed at the sight, not knowing what was going on, but frightened nonetheless. It was horrific, a scene of complete chaos, as the combatants, his friends, fought on regardless, battling against the Wave that had seemed to destroy so many lives. And despite his desire to help, Elk, terrified, crouched behind the barrels, hoping the Hell exploding around him would simply end.  
  
And so, despite all the cries of battle, the conflict had ended with the scream of anguish that echoed throughout the server, and the Wave, the horrific creature Kite and the others battled, had been absorbed in the brilliant white light that, for a moment, blinded all that looked at it. That was probably why Balmung, the great Descendant of Fianna, did not see the tendril until it had speared his player. His scream caused Elk to peer around the barrels, seeing the legendary Blademaster's character shatter into a thousand pixels of color and light.  
  
Elk stood up, terrified at the last attack of the sinister wave, but ran forward regardless. Balmung was gone, and he would, if Kite and BlackRose allowed him, would take his place in the battle. They would all have to think about what happened to Balmung afterwards, if any of them were left. The tendrils continued to lash about, finding it's next target.  
  
BlackRose screamed in such agony that Elk felt his own heart stop, but it was Kite's scream that tore through him, as the Twin Blade had called out the name of his partner and best friend, watching helplessly as her character exploded in much the same way as Balmung's. Elk knew the scream that tore from Kite's throat, it was the same scream he let loose when Mia was destroyed. It was a scream of a breaking heart.  
  
Three more tentacles lashed their way toward the last of the Wave's attackers, yet Kite's eyes were glued on the spot where BlackRose had stood. So Elk did all he could think of, he pushed the distraught Twin Blade from the path of the snaking coils and felt the spears tear into his virtual body...but not just his virtual body, his physical body felt the pain as well.  
  
"Elk..." Kite had said, stunned to see the Wavemaster before him and realizing that he had taken the attack meant for him.  
  
But Elk turned his eyes toward Kite, hoping the Twin Blade would forgive him for his betrayal. 'At least now...' Elk thought as his character began to dissolve into the emptiness. 'I can finally be with Mia.'  
  
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The suddenly awake Wavemaster began thrashing his limbs as if in the middle of the ocean, as if trying to stay above water. He wasn't sure what had happened but felt his body tighten as he recalled the three spearheads that tore through his body. Oddly enough, he had no injuries he could determine. For all purposes, he was perfectly fine. But that bothered him. He could only imagine Kite had somehow succeeded; otherwise his character should not have suddenly appeared in whatever random field he was in now. But he didn't care.  
  
Thinking that Kite had succeeded, that he himself was not in a coma meant that everyone else would be fine as well. Everyone except him...because though Kite got BlackRose back, Elk would never get Mia back. And a new wave of despair washed over him, drowning him...forcing the air from his lungs and suffocating him in his grief. Perhaps he was being selfish...but he had hoped he wouldn't have awakened. Life without Mia was not a life he wished to experience.  
  
Curling his body as he lay on the ground, Elk cried as he had not cried since the day Mia was deleted. He was alone. Somewhere within The World, Kite and his friends were celebrating, but there would be no celebration for the broken Wavemaster. No, for he would know only sorrow.  
  
Yet, so lost in his grief was he that he hadn't noticed the comforting hand caressing his cheek and brushing his hair. He thought he was dreaming, or hallucinating in his own sorrow, he never expected that when he'd raise his head after noticing the gentle touch to his face, that he would come face- to-face with a cat.  
  
It wasn't Mia...it was the form Morganna had shown him...tempted Elk into betraying his friends. It was the base-operating program from Mia's character...Maha. Elk's heart skipped a beat as he stared at the character for a moment before finding his voice. "M...Mia?"  
  
Maha floated back a few paces and bowed deeply toward Elk, sweeping its hand across its waist as it did so before turning and floating away.  
  
"No...wait!" Elk screamed as the cat paused to turn its head at the suffering Wavemaster. "It's you, isn't it Mia? Don't go...please."  
  
Maha merely tilted its head to stare at Elk as if not quite understanding the strange boy's ramblings. Waving its paw, the cat-character shimmered and then faded from his view. Elk stared at the space where Maha had been before fresh tears had poured from his eyes. He felt as if he had lost his best friend all over again.  
  
He wasn't sure when the tears stopped, but Elk felt cold, tired and drained. Yet as he sat in the lonely field, he looked down at where he had first noticed Maha and saw the single sprig of grass setting atop the other blades of grass. Elk picked up the Aromatic grass Maha had left for him before a smile finally tugged at the edges of Elk's mouth. It had been so long since he had smiled that it was almost painful, but this at least was a pleasant pain, for Elk understood what Maha had given to him. He knew now that Mia was back. Perhaps not in the form he remembered her, but she was within The World again.  
  
"I will find you." Elk said, brushing away a single tear from his eye with the back of his hand. "I will bring you back to me Mia...I owe you that." And standing to stretch his legs, the shy Wavemaster gated out of the field. He would find Kite...he would find BlackRose, and beg them to forgive him for what he had done. He knew they would, but he couldn't deny being slightly nervous about confronting them. But he would. Mia was back...he would find her...and The World would be their treasure.  
  
-The End  
  
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A/N: I wasn't too thrilled with this chapter, but I was struggling with the idea how to finish it. So, here you go. Please don't flame me...and I really hope this isn't a disappointing ending for the story...but I was sort of lost writing this...and mentally out of it. Oh well. If you've read this far, please review. Danke 


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